Changes and Corrections

When somebody is editing your work, you will usually hear the words 'changes' and 'corrections'. In general, these words are interchangeable. Technically, though, they have different meanings.

A correction takes something that is wrong and fixes it to make it right. If you misspell a word, then you need to correct the spelling. The same goes for misuse of punctuation (comma splices), common phrases ("French benefits" instead of "fringe benefits"), and anything else that has solid rules.

Changes do not involve right and wrong; they only change from one form to another. If you have a sentence that is awkward, it may not be a pleasant sentence, but it isn't wrong because of that. If you rewrite the sentence, you could make it sound much better, but it is just as right as the original version was. You haven't made a correction, just a change.

Nowadays, this distinction is mostly lost. People use either term in either situation. When you are receiving editing, understand that a person may be talking about making a correction, when they are really talking about making a change. However, when you are editing somebody else's work, try to be mindful of these words. Be careful with your language. You may be the only person who notices it, but you may not be. You may also choose to educate somebody on the matter.

It is nice to be able to make a distinction between a change and a correction. As a writer, it allows you to understand how an editor views a problem. As an editor, it allows you to explain what kind of advice you are giving. Corrections need to be fixed, but changes are just opinions. This should alleviate a lot of stree in te editing process, too.